Migraine – 8 things you can do to fight it
Migraines are more and more frequent, in particular because of our addiction to screens. A migraine, when it starts, can keep you bedridden for long hours, and prevent you from doing anything but throw up. While it can usually pass on its own, below are 8 things you can do to get rid of it as quickly as possible.
1/ Drink water
Most of the time, headaches are due to dehydration. Remember to drink throughout the day to avoid migraines. The easiest way is to always keep a bottle of water in your bag or on your desk.
2/ Apply a washcloth to the forehead with cold water
Simple and effective, a glove soaked in cold water on the forehead helps relieve pain. Sit in the dark and quiet, close your eyes and apply the glove, until you feel better.
3/ Take inspiration from cryotherapy
If your forehead and temples hurt, apply cold. This triggers vasoconstriction of dilated blood vessels, which relieves symptoms. Wrap ice cubes in a cloth and slide over the painful area.
4/ Think about the heat
When the pain is localized behind the head, it may be due to an old trauma in the cervical region, waking up from fatigue or nervous tension. In this case, no cryotherapy; it is necessary to warm the neck to relieve the muscles located at the base of the skull. You can use many accessories: cushion of cherry pits passed in the microwave, hair dryer, traditional hot water bottle…
5/ Apply essential oils to the temples
If the crisis occurs in the middle of the day and you do not have time to rest, use tiger balm (mixture of camphor and menthol) or a roll-on of essential oils (peppermint or lavender). You can find it in many organic stores and pharmacies, from six euros. Apply the product of your choice to the temples and the back of the neck, massaging lightly.
6/ Self-massage
Sometimes massaging your temples isn’t enough. Elbows resting on the table, jaws relaxed, mouth ajar, put your index finger at the joint of the jaws and make small circles going from the inside to the outside, to the lobe of the ear. You can also knead the skin of your neck with three fingers, accompanying the massage with a slight movement of the head. Another possibility: start from the trapezoids around the neck and go up with both hands to the ears.
7/ Take paracetamol with a cup of sweet coffee
Accompany your classic doliprane with a coffee. Associated with paracetamol, caffeine, which constricts the dilated blood vessels, usually responsible for headaches, accelerates its absorption and increases its effectiveness. Don’t forget to sweeten your coffee, it can also help overcome possible hypoglycemia, which can cause migraines.
8/ Pay attention to screens
If a migraine hits you at home, ditch the screens, it could be the source of your headache. If you’re at the office, gently close your eyes every 15 minutes, then reopen them at the same rate. Repeat this gesture at least ten times a day. Also remember to blink regularly.
